This invention relates to an arrangement for conveying load-carrying frames through a continuous oven, for example, an aluminium soldering oven with several chambers arranged in series one after another. A typical oven is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,725.
It has been proposed to guide, in a suspended manner, load-carrying frames or conveyor containers constructed to receive hot material by means of rollers running on rails secured to the roof of the oven in the interior thereof. For this purpose, each load-carrying frame is provided with suspension members which carry rollers on transverse pins. The forward motion of the load-carrying frames through the hot chambers of the oven is effected in this previous proposal with the aid of a drive which comprises an endless chain on which a pair of spaced carriers is mounted. The carriers are so arranged that they engage one after another various transverse pins of the respective load-carrying frames when the chain is driven by means of a motor disposed outside the oven. On energizing the motor, the carrier engaging the load-carrying frame moves the frame forwardly because of the circulatory movement of the chain through the chamber, the second carrier of the pair displacing in a subsequent engagement the next load-carrying frame entering the next chamber, until the load-carrying frame is taken over by a carrier on the corresponding chain of the adjacent chamber.
This previously proposed conveyor system is disadvantageous in that the chain drive is complicated by the carriers mounted thereon, is costly and is liable to break down. Because of contamination caused by the oven atmosphere, the prior conveyor system runs badly, and cleaning and repair are only possible after emptying and cooling down of the oven have been undertaken. Moreover, a separate regulation device with control rods or the like must be provided and such an arrangement is complicated and is liable to break down.